Edinburgh University dominated the inaugural Spire Murrayfield Hospital Universities and Colleges Cup Finals at the sun-kissed celebration of rugby on Wednesday.Over 500 rugby players descended on the six pitches of Broughton Rugby Club with over 40 teams entering six separate 15, seven and ten-a-side men’s and women’s cup competitions.Player retention at the 17-24 age-band is a key Scottish Rugby objective with the new cup finals day being seen as the first of many events created to address the player drop out at that crucial age.  Edinburgh University dominated the inaugural Spire Murrayfield Hospital Universities and Colleges Cup Finals at the sun-kissed celebration of rugby on Wednesday.Over 500 rugby players descended on the six pitches of Broughton Rugby Club with over 40 teams entering six separate 15, seven and ten-a-side men’s and women’s cup competitions.Player retention at the 17-24 age-band is a key Scottish Rugby objective with the new cup finals day being seen as the first of many events created to address the player drop out at that crucial age.Universities, colleges, medical societies and the armed forces came together for the first time at varying levels of ability and experience. The more practiced individuals focused their efforts on the invitational tournament while more relaxed and fun rugby was played in the extremely popular intramural competitions.Scottish Rugby’s development manager (17-24 year olds), Lindsey Booth, said: “We’ve chosen a series of one day tournament cups because it means you don’t have to play for the entire season, it’s 7-a-side, you can get together with your mates and play a whole load of rugby for one day at one big venue. “It’s a party atmosphere and I think that really appeals to young people because it’s not a lot of pressure or a large commitment.”Edinburgh University entered an impressive 15 teams in the competition. While their top sides took second place in the invitational Scottish Student Premier Cup and the 15-a-side BUCS Scottish Conference Cup Final, the numerous intramural sides came away with three trophies from the remaining four tournaments on the day.Edinburgh University’s intramural sides Dutch Courage, Edinburgh Medics and RDVC Women won the Scottish Student Cup, Student Challenge Cup and Emerging Students Cup trophies respectively while Dundee University Women won the Scottish Student Cup.Borders College were the day’s surprise package but, with several players coming from the College’s performance sport programme, it was no shock for the visitors who walked away with the invitational Scottish Student Premier Cup with five wins out of six.The matches then came to a head for the well supported 15-a-side final which saw Glasgow Caledonian defeat Edinburgh University 24-7 to claim the BUCS Scottish Conference Cup.Speaking at the event, head of community rugby, Colin Thomson, said: “This is a huge area of potential growth for us. A big drop-off area we have is when young people move from school and club rugby into university rugby.”It’s much more than creating a university first XV, it’s about getting as many people playing as possible in universities and colleges and bringing them to events like this so that there’s a focus on an event that they all enjoy –  and it’s good to see the young girls and guys having great fun out there.”At an early age, young people play rugby because there’s a good team ethos, it’s a good social sport – there’s a real sense of community around what they do at that age. “When they go to college or university they’re suddenly out of that peer group so this is about creating opportunities for them to continue to enjoy that peer atmosphere, socialise with new people, and stay and play the game – because beyond player participation, these are the people who will be the volunteers, club coaches and presidents of the future.”The Spire Murrayfield Hospital Universities and colleges Cup WinnersSMH Scottish Student Premier Cup Winners – Borders CollegeSMH Scottish Student Cup Winners – Dutch CourageSMH Student Challenge Cup Winners – Edinburgh MedicsSMH Scottish Student Cup Winners – Dundee University (W)SMH Emerging Students Cup Winners – RDVC (W)BUCS Scottish Conference Cup Winners – Glasgow Caledonian UniversitySMH Scottish Student Premier Cup Winners – Borders CollegeTelford College 5-26 Borders CollegeEdinburgh University 1 15-5 Heriot-Watt UniversityHeriot-Watt University 12-7 Telford CollegeBorders College 21-5 Edinburgh University 1Telford College 17-7 Edinburgh University 1Heriot-Watt University 5-17 Borders CollegeBorders College 22-5 Telford CollegeHeriot-Watt University 0-29 Edinburgh University 1Telford College 14-5 Heriot-Watt UniversityEdinburgh University 1 21-10 Borders CollegeBorders College 31-0 Heriot-Watt UniversityEdinburgh University 1 17-7 Telford CollegeSMH Scottish Student Cup Winners – Dutch CourageEdinburgh University  6-12 SACTelford College  0-38 Dutch CourageSAC 12-19 Napier University 1Edinburgh University  5-53 RDVCNapier University 1 5-26 Dutch CourageSAC 14-29 RDVCEdinburgh University 5-24 Telford CollegeRDVC 19-5 Napier University 1SAC 24-12 Telford CollegeRDVC 31-12 Telford CollegeDutch Courage 33-0 Edinburgh UniversityTelford College 22-19 Napier University 1Dutch Courage 31-0 SACNapier University 1 7-15 Edinburgh UniversityRDVC 5-14 Dutch CourageSMH Student Challenge Cup Winners – Edinburgh MedicsSMH Student Challenge Cup Winners (M) Pool 1Glasgow University Engineers 47-0 The BuffalosNapier University 2 0-26 Edinburgh MedicsGlasgow Univesity Engineers 47-5 Napier University 2Edinburgh Medics 43-7 Glasgow University EngineersThe Buffalos 5-27 Napier University 2Edinburgh Medics 58-0 The BuffalosSMH Student Challenge Cup (M) – Pool 2Aberdeen Medics 1 52-5 Edinburgh University EngineersEdinburgh University Engineers 39-7 Aberdeen OTCAdam Smith College 0-33 Aberdeen Medics 1Aberdeen OTC 21-15 Adam Smith CollegeAberdeen OTC 0-46 Aberdeen Medics 1Adam Smith College 12-27 Edinburgh University EngineersSMH Student Challenge Cup (M) – Pool 3East of Scotland RAF Student Cadets 15-27 Imes MamluksImes Mamluks 17-5 Heriot-Watt University 2Heriot-Watt University 2 5-19 QMUQMU 36-0 East of Scotland RAF student CadetsHeriot-Watt University 2 5-5 East of Scotland RAF student CadetsQMU 24-0 Imes MamluksSMH Student Challenge Cup (M) – Pool 4Dundee Medics 0-12 Aberdeen Medics 2Purple Cobras 30-5 Ewing PiratesDundee Medics 0-20 Purple CobrasEwing Pirates 22-0 Dundee MedicsAberdeen Medics 2 7-17 Purple CobrasEwing Pirates 5-7 Aberdeen Medics 2Knock Out StagesEdinburgh Medics 39-0 Aberdeen Medics 2Edinburgh Engineers  5-24 QMUPurple Cobras 33-0 Imes MamluksGlasgow Engineers 24-29 Aberdeen Medics 1    Edinburgh Medics 35-15 QMUPurple Cobras 30-24 Aberdeen Medics 1    Edinburgh Medics 39-5 Purple CobrasSMH Scottish Student Cup Winners – Dundee University (W)Glasgow University 1 10-22 St Andrews UniversityStirling University 5-24 Dundee UniversityDundee University 31-0 Glasgow University 1St Andrews University 34-5 Stirling UniversityDundee University 24-5 St Andrews UniversityStirling University 0-26 Glasgow University 1SMH Emerging Students Cup Winners – RDVC (W)Heriot-Watt Uni/Murrayfield Wanders 22-0 Edinburgh Uni 7 DwarfsEdinburgh Uni 7 deadly Sins 15-10 East of Scotland RAF CadetsRDVC 28-10 Heriot-Watt Uni/Murrayfield WandersEast of Scotland RAF Cadets 20-5 Edinburgh Uni 7 DwarfsHeriot-Watt Uni/Murrayfield Wanders 5-5 Edinburgh Uni 7 deadly SinsEdinburgh Uni 7 deadly Sins 5-7 RDVCEast of Scotland RAF Cadets 12-5 Heriot-Watt Uni/Murrayfield WandersRDVC 30-0 Edinburgh Uni 7 DwarfsEdinburgh Uni 7 Dwarfs 5-15 Edinburgh Uni 7 deadly SinsEast of Scotland RAF Cadets 0-31 RDVC• Entry to the event was free to all teams and spectatorsCompetition informationMen’sBUCS Scottish Conference Cup FinalSpire Murrayfield Hospital Scottish Student Premier Cup (invitational)• 5 top Wednesday league sides and the 3 top colleges that run performance rugby courses (Telford, Borders, Cumbernauld)Spire Murrayfield Hospital Scottish Student Cup (open to all)Spire Murrayfield Hospital Men’s Challenge Cup (intramural/non-clubs/societies/fresher teamsWomen’sSpire Murrayfield Hospital Scottish Students Cup (open to all, 10-a-side)Spire Murrayfield Hospital Emerging Women’s Cup (societies, non-clubs, new teams, and 7-a-side)ParticipantsSMH Student Premier Cup (M) – Round Robin, 7-a-side (kick-off 12.30pm)• Telford College 1• Edinburgh University 1• Stirling University• Borders College• Heriot-Watt University 1SMH Student Cup (M) – Round Robin, 7-a-side (kick-off 12.30pm)• Napier University 1• Edinburgh University (3)• Telford College 2• Dundee Medics• Scottish Agricultural College (SAC)• Dutch Courage• Royal Dick Veterinary College (RDVC)SMH Student Challenge Cup (M) – 7-a-side, Pool stages/quarters/semis/final (kick-off 12.30pm)• Edinburgh Officer Training Corp (OTC) – Army • Aberdeen Officer Training Corp (OTC) – Army• Aberdeen Medics 1• Aberdeen Medics 2• Edinburgh Medics• Napier University 2• Napier University 3• East of Scotland RAF student Cadets• Edinburgh University (4)• Queen Margaret University (QMU)• Heriot-Watt University 2• Glasgow Engineers• Adam Smith College (ASC)• The Crown Jewels• Power Raiders• Buffalos• Edinburgh Engineers• Imes Mamluks• Purple Cobras• Ewing PiratesSMH Student Cup (W) – Round Robin, 10-a-side, KO 2.30pm• Edinburgh University • East of Scotland RAF student Cadets• Stirling University• Dundee University• St Andrews University• Glasgow University 1SMH Emerging Student Cup (W) – Round Robin, 7-a-side, KO 2.30pm• Edinburgh Officer Training Corp (OTC) – Army• Heriot-Watt/Murrayfield Wanders• RDVC• Glasgow University 2BUCS Scottish Conference Cup Final (M)Edinburgh University 2nd XV v Glasgow Caledonia University 1st XV (kick-off 4pm)